Why vegan?

Why vegan, how vegan and why why why on earth vegan? Why not settle for vegetarian?

Why vegan – well, we haven’t always been vegans, just like we haven’t always been minimalists or full time travelers.

It all began late 2014 when our oldest daughter Isabella turned 5 and we had to face inscribing her to the nearby public school, where she was destined to start August 2015. She was and had always been a very shy and quiet girl, almost invisible when together with others. When she was a baby, she would not let anyone else than me or Tina carry her and outside our home she would scream if a stranger as much as looked at her 🙁

We knew in our hearts, that the chance of success and happiness for her in a classroom together with 29 other screaming attention seeking kids was minuscule at best and we started looking for alternatives.

Tina read about a homeschooling family, and it turned out that it was actually legal to home school in Denmark. Legal by law, but almost unheard off in public. Only about 1 out of every 1800 kids in Denmark are home schooled, and as it turned out, most people would judge us as bad parents, gambling with the social evolvement of our girls. For more on this, read our post about worldschooling.

Vegan Family by choice

It turned out to be an eyeopener for us in many ways. We changed our lives. I (Daddy) quit my job as a school teacher and started building up a new income by opening an online store, selling a pizza stone made of steel, so that I eventually would be able to spend more time with my wife and children.

..and because we began thinking more about our lives – what we did with our lives and how we lived our lives – things started to change!

One day Tina admitted that she had always wanted to become a vegetarian, because she loved animals.

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I had always loved a big steak, cheese, yogurt and milk – so I started to read scientific books and studies about the benefits of these animal proteins as a means to convincing her that it would be a bad idea to become vegetarians.

But, much to my surprise, almost all the real scientific evidence (studies not funded by the meat or diary industry), pointed towards a plant based diet as the best way to live a long, healthy life?

One of the best books to start out with about the subject is called “The China Study” and is available all over the world in many local languages. Remember to look it up in your local library :-).

After reading for a while, and accepting defeat, I told her about my findings, and we decided to give it a try. Within one year, we had started homeschooling our kids, quit jobs, established a company, turned vegetarians.. and now VEGAN!

We just couldn’t help it. When you allow yourself to listen to your heart and find out that something is wrong. Doing something about it isn’t a choice anymore. Its a necessity or you will loose your self respect. Take a look at our favorite vegan YouTube channels here.

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You will meet people who don’t understand your choice. Some people will try to accept it and some will cut you out of their lives. This could happen with both friends and family, but you will also find a lot of new friends. A community of love and respect for life :-). Just as other people ask you “Why vegan”, you will start to wonder why the rest of the world doesn’t feel the need to share this feeling of love, improved health and respect for other beings. The question has transformed itself into “Why NOT vegan?”.

If you are interested in learning more about what helped inspire us to change our lives, you should watch these movies:

Cowspiracy (available on Netflix)

Forks over knives (available on Netflix)

Earthlings (available on Netflix)

Speciesism (available on Netflix)

But again.. why VEGAN?

Vegan for health reasons

Why vegan? Why not vegetarian? For me (daddy), it didn’t make any sense to avoid meat while at the same time continue to fill our bodies and the bodies of our children with milk protein, which countless studies had shown to cause cancer, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular deceases etc. So, for me it was (initially) a logical choice based on science. Logically it made sense too. A cow will only drink milk while it has the need to grow fast. As soon as it is strong enough to outrun a lion, it will turn to a plant based diet for the rest of its life. The same is the case for all mammals. The only exception is Homo Sapiens – Human Beings like you and me, drinking mother milk while we are babies and then turning to cow milk (milk, yogurt, cheese etc.) for the rest of our lives. In a way we try to boost our body with something that is created by nature to make us grow faster and stronger. There is a reason why no other animals do this. Growing fast and strong comes with a price. Just imagine driving your car at full speed all the time with no time to rest or no time to see a mechanic. It will do fine for a while, but eventually it will break down. Not lasting as long as it was supposed to. The same happens with the human body.

So, let the calf have its milk, and live a longer healthier life yourself :-).

(Of course this is a very simplified explanation, and I really think you should read serious studies about the subject. The (at times boring) China study would be a good place to start.)

And no, living on a Vegan diet doesn’t automatically mean you are healthy. If you base your vegan diet on french fries, vegan ice cream and vegan cakes etc, you would end up very unhealthy. A vegan plant based diet, based on a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit will on the other hand help you live a healthy and happy life.

Vegan out of love and respect for animals

For Tina it was all about the animals. What good did it do a cow, not being killed for beef, if we continued to drink its milk? A cow won’t produce any milk unless it is impregnated and gets a calf. So the dairy industry impregnates her, lets her give birth to a calf, and then separates mother and calf after birth, resulting in both of them screaming, sometimes for days, because of their loss and desire to be together. She will then give milk until she dries out, whereafter she gets impregnated again, gets separated from her calf and cries out in agony. Again and again, until she at a (for a cow) young age is turned into chopped beef because she is worn out mentally destroyed. This normally happens after 5 years. In nature she would have lived up to 25 years.. sometimes even longer. If you compare that to a human life of 90 years, the equivalent would be impregnating as soon as her body was ready, then repeatedly impregnate her and steal her children, until she at age 18 would be mentally destroyed and her body exhausted. I couldn’t possibly disagree with Tina on this :-(.

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The main difference between vegans and vegetarians, is that vegetarians will/can eat or use any product, as long as an animal isn’t killed in the process of creating the end product. The animal may live a life in a cell, never see a green pasture or die a few days later as a consequence of the process. As long as the process of producing the product doesn’t result in immediate death for the animal, the product can be included in a vegetarian diet.

Vegans on the other hand will not eat or use anything where the use of an animal, be it mammals, fish, insects or birds is part of the process of creating the product. This includes wool (use of a sheep), egs or part of an egg from any animal, milk/milk powder/milk protein/cheese/yogurt and other dairy products, any meat or anything coming from any mammal, fish, insect or bird, honey or beeswax (taken from bees) and everything else where the use of an animal is required, fx “tested on animals” is a no go.

So in short: If an animal or part of an animal was involved in creating the product – it will not have a place in our lives.

Vegans also won’t go to the zoo, attend a circus where animals are part of the show, ride an elephant on vacation etc.

We don’t use the phrase: “animal welfare“, since it is invented by the meat industry to give the consumer a clean conciseness. We don’t think a life of imprisonment or a life as slaves should be described as welfare just because the food is a little better or the prison a little larger.

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What gives us the right to shorten the lives of other beings and then feel good about it by using words like “Animal Welfare” and “Organic Meat”?

Pigs: Are slaughtered at 6 months young; Natural life span would have been 6 to 10 years

Chickens: Slaughtered at 6 weeks young; Natural life span would have been 5 to 8 years for those birds bred as “egg layers” such as Rhode Island Reds; 1 to 4 years for factory layer breeds such as leghorns; and 1 to 3 years for “meat” breeds.

Turkeys: Slaughtered at 5 to 6 months young; Natural life span would have been 2 to 6 years

Ducks/Geese: Slaughtered at 7 to 8 weeks young; Natural life span would have been domestic ducks: 6 to 8 years; geese from 8 to 15 years.

Cattle: “Beef” cattle slaughtered at 18 months young; Natural life span would have been 18 to 25+ years

Dairy cows: Slaughtered/worn out at 4 to 5 years young; Natural life span would have been 18 to 25+ years

Veal Calves: Slaughtered at 16 weeks young; Natural life span would have been 18 to 25+ years

Goats: Slaughtered at 3 to 5 months young; Natural life span would have been 12 to 14 years

Rabbits: Slaughtered at 10 to 12 weeks young; Natural life span would have been 8 to 12+ years

Lambs: Slaughtered at 6 to 8 weeks young for “young lamb” and under 1 year for all other; Natural life span would have been 12 to 14 years

Vegan for our planet?

Well, this is highly debated. Producing meat requires large amounts of water. A lot more than producing lets say carrots and potatoes. But, what about producing an avocado in a dry area in Peru? This could take up a lot of water too, and then comes the transport to Europe or The US?

Our view on this, is to try to use locally grown vegetables and fruit. Organic if available, and then from time to time treat ourselves with imported fruits or vegetables. But, most of it should be locally grown, organic and sustainable.

Vegans don’t get enough protein or B12!

Wrong! Plant based protein is powerful –Just ask an Elephant, a Gorilla, a Rhino, a Bull or a horse :-).

You don’t have to eat meat to be strong. And I don’t feel like a lesser man after I switched to a plant based diet. On the contrary – I have never been so healthy or had less sick days than I have had the last few years.

True, we as a family need to eat a varied diet. We can’t survive on potatoes or carrots alone. But if we mix our intake of vegetables, and take a vitamin B12 from time to time, we won’t have to worry about our diet.

One thing we certainly don’t worry about is our protein intake. Studies have shown that we don’t really need as much protein as we are told, and since plant based protein is digested more natural by our bodies compared to protein coming from animals, we don’t need as much as we did before.

Protein works as a booster for our bodies. Too much protein and our system runs on max capacity full time. Great if you want to lift weights or perform at the Olympics, but bad if you are planning on depending on your body for many years to come. Again, don’t take my word for it. Read “The China Study” and let the numbers convince you.

But a vegan diet is so..

..exciting, adventurous, healthy, cheap?

I know, most people think its dull, boring and limited. It doesn’t have to be.

The picture below explains it better than I would be able to. Being vegan can be a challenge. Especially if you travel like we do, but we have managed until now, and I’m sure we will continue to do so.

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Famous Vegans

We didn’t decide to become vegans because some famous person told us to, but sometimes it just helps to know that you are not alone out there 🙂

Vegan family goals..

We are just a few years into our vegan journey, and still consider ourselves to be vegan infants :-).

We really want to eat more raw food, since we know that it would be good for us. Hopefully in a few years, a considerable part of our diet will be enjoyed raw. I don’t know if we will ever go 100% raw. Right now it feels unlikely, but if you had asked me a few years ago whether we would become vegans, I would have called you a fool. ..so I will leave it with that and see what the future has in store for us :-).

PS: Remember to leave a comment, so that we know you made it till the end :-). What do you tell people, when they ask the question: “Why Vegan?”

I think the reason of being vegan is noble. I’m not a vegan but I can understand why you and your family choose to be vegans. Actually what make me interested in is why you change your way of life because of your daughter Isabella. It’s obvious that your daughters are very important to you.

I felt the same way.. because of my little girl Mili who doesn’t like to go to school.. we change our way of thinking about life and education. I want Mili to learn everything that she like and learn happily without being forced or pushed. Like Isabella.. Mili is very shy and so sensitive.
The 3 of us (me, my husband & Mili) agree that homeschooling is the right thing for our family. We believe it can make Mili feel comfortable learning everything anytime and anywhere she likes.
Homeschooling is also legal in Indonesia and it’s pretty popular nowdays because many family find that school isn’t good enough for their children. There so many academical subjects that kids must learn but less moral & manner lesson that they get.

Maybe you can meet with Indonesian homeschooler community when you visit Indonesia next year. In Indonesia we’re making groups by area so we can meet up and gather more often.

Hi Melissa 🙂
I am happy that you decided to homeschool Mili.. I am sure she is too :-). As long as a kid is stressed and worried about the environment that she is in.. she will not be able to learn anything. So creating a relaxed environment where Mili feels safe, is the only way to help her grow into a complete person :-).
It would be great to meet when we come to Indonesia 🙂
Where in Indonesia do you live?

Hi.. sorry I’ve been very busy. We live in Tangerang Selatan, it’s near to South Jakarta. It would be great too if my family can meet yours, and perhaps I can ask few of my homeschoolers family to join 🙂

A wonderful post – the planet needs more people like you and your family. I’ve been vegan for 23 years and have never regretted my decision ~ the animals are who I do it for and the protection of the planet. Life has much more clarity for me and I think I see the world from a place of sensitivity and compassion. We are blessed with this beautiful earth and so it is our honour to be looking after it 🌏

Hi Claudine
23 years! That is impressive! Being vegan today is much easier than 23 years ago I imagine?
And yes, when you start to embrace life and appreciating your own life, it is hard to accept that animals should be treated as if their lives meant less than humans, just because they don’t speak our language or care as much about money and power as humans do?
You are an inspiration for us all!

Hi beautiful vegan family😊.We are a vegan family of 2 my husband and I and we did it for love to animals,me I LOVE THEM TOOOO MUCH for me all animals are equal including human animals,so I CAN NOT END A LIFE JUST BECAUSE I CAN AND I REFUSE TO😊 for my husband it was the animal mistreatment,how much we abuse them just for our own satisfaction ( this is not humain ) so we desided not to consume anything that comes from animal suffering of any kind( like bees being slave to death for their hunny ,the hunny they create to eat working hard )but we take it from them because it taste good to us 😞anyway good for you guys that are capable of seeing that they are alive too and traveling the world wile you home school your beautiful girls 👏👍🏻AWESOME!!! you are giving your girl a kind of education that no school would ever give any child ( That the world is a beautiful place full of beautiful people that are conected to eachother and to us in such a deep level that it is impossible to miss ) WE HUMANS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND THE WORLD 2 ,PEACE,LOVE,AND ALL THE BEST FOR ALL OF YOU 😍 We all love you !!! note: ( This 2 vegans are leaving everything behind to to travel the world in our motorcycles 😉😎😘✌️)

Hi Jessie
Thank you for your super positive comment!
I get the feeling that you are the kind of person that spreads sunshine wherever you go 🙂
We will keep an eye out for you on your motorbikes and say hello when the world brings us together!

What a great article, we couldn’t agree more! Veganism is such a wonderful way to raise compassionate, open-minded children and of course also a great way to look after our beautiful planet so future world-travelling families can enjoy it! Good luck with your raw food adventures in future! 💚🍍🍓🍉

Hi Helen
Thank you so much for letting us know 🙂
Sometimes it seems like no one is watching our videos ;-), but then again – we will keep on posting them no matter what and then watch them from time to time, to help us remember all the places we visit :-).

Thank you for your reply. Everybody has to start somewhere. You mustn’t give up trying. I wonder if you could ‘advertise ‘ your channel on some of the vegan groups on Facebook. That way you would be reaching a huge audience and I’m sure you’d get lots more viewers. The content and quality are really good. Don’t get disheartened. x